Improvement in burial-caskets



I. MAXWELL. BURIAL-CASKET.

Patented Ju1 y10.1877.

fiwezz for: WM,

N. PETHS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH W UNITED STA ES *i iIENT OFFIQE- JQHN MAXWELL, ,osr noonasrnn, nnwgon 'MPEPYFM PUF AFQA KEW-J Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 193,014, dated July '10, 1877; application filed May 25, 1877.

the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the lid of a buriaLcase,

showing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on an enlarged scale. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the glass-frame and its covering-plate, respectively. Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the springcatch and the hook that connects therewith.

Fig. 7 is a plan of a childs casket, showing a modification.

My invention relates to the lid of the easket; and consists, essentially, of a removable glass-frame and its covering-plate, connected by devices of a peculiar kind, whereby said parts are removable together, as hereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

A represents the lid of the casket, which -may be of any desired form and construction.

B is the glass-frame covering the head of the casket, and -D is the covering plate or leaf which covers the glass-frame.

In ordinary caskets the glass-frame is made fixed, or a sliding glass plate is used, which is difficult to insert or remove; and the covering-plate is so connected or attached that the two parts cannot be removed together.

I connect them, so that they may be removed separately or together, by the following means: The glass-frame fits in a seat formed at the head of the lid, so sunken that when the glassframe is in place it rests flush with the center bar a. In removing the frame, therefore, it is drawn out bodily endwise, the outer end being a little elevated, to allow the catch to disengage. b b are dowel-pins on the outer edge of the glass-frame, which fit in corresponding sockets in the cross-bar a. c c are slots or mortises on the inner edge of the frame, and

tion, as shown in Fig.2. When the flanges are so inserted the covering-plate is locked to the frame, and cannot rise without it. 0 O are two locks used at the outer end of the frame and covering-plate. One is attached to the end of the lid, and the other to the end of the glass-frame. In these locks are springs f f, made bent, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to have proper movement in and out, and attached to the locks by pivots g 9. To the free ends of the springs are attached shafts h h, which extend out through the wood work, and by which the springs are operated. are holes through the lock-cases, coinciding with the springs, so that when the catches enter the holes they will engage with the springs. Ick are catches on the under sides of the coveringplate and glass-frame, respectively. They are notched out, as shown at Z Z, Fig. 5, to receive the springs. and have wedge-shaped ends on m, which depress the springs in entering, and then catch under them. 7 When these catches are engaged, as shown in Fig. 2, the covering-plate and frame are locked together, and also to the end of the cas-. ket, and as the other end is also secured by the devices before described, said parts form a fixture with the casket; but the coveringplate can be disengaged from the glass-frame readily by releasing its lock, or both can be disengaged as one fixture from the casket by releasing the other lock, said covering-plate and frame being securely fastened together at such removal.

The childs casket shown in Fig. 7 may be secured in the same manner, and, if desired, clamps and screws may be employed. :This casket differs from that shown in Fig. 1, byhaving the glass frame cover the whole top of the casket, and in such case the lower or inner face of the covering-plate may be lined with cloth or fabric, rayed orarranged in any ornamental form, so that when the lid is thrown open it will show through the glass.

By the means above described I produce a glass-frame and covering'plate which are readily insertible and removable, either separately or together-a desideratum in caskets, since in ordinary caskets, in order to remove the glass, the covering-plate must be first removed, and even then the glass frame or plate is not easily taken out. It will be seen that these parts are simply lifted off and put on the other, arranged as described, and operatin my invention. ing in the manner and for the purpose speci- In the childs casket shown in Fig. 7 the fied. glass lid may be hinged to the top of the In witness whereof I have hereunto signed casket, to enable it to be opened and closed. my name in the presence of two subscribing What I claim as new is witnesses. In a burial-casket, the combination, with, the glass-frame B and covering-plate D, of Witnesses: the dowels b and flanges d at one end, and R. F. OSGOOD, the locks C G, with springs f and catches k, at J AGOB SPAHN.

JOHN MAXWELL. 

